The Kids Alliance for Better Care (KidsABC) is a joint initiative between Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Children’s), Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM), and the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center (GRHIC). KidsABC provides avenues of support for Georgia’s rural pediatricians and rural family practitioners to keep care for kids close to home. Practitioners involved in pediatric health care have opportunities to network, learn from their peers, and complete trainings facilitated by subject matter experts.
Free CME Opportunities
The Pediatric Alliance Speakers Series (PASS) is a free monthly training series for providers to earn CME credits, offered by Mercer University School of Medicine. In these one-hour virtual training sessions, participants learn from subject matter experts on a variety of topics, such as infectious disease, endocrinology, mental health, and many more. PASS includes peer-led rural pediatric patient case studies and an in-person continuing education conference.
Newsletter
Rural Pediatric News is published monthly and highlights training and continuing medical education options, recommended reading, physician spotlights, seasonal health and wellness information to share with patients, and more.
Pediatric Alliance Speakers Series
All sessions are 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Virtual link will be emailed to registrants.
January 31: Neonatal Jaundice | Anu Pavuluri, MD
Dr. Pavuluri, a board-certified pediatrician, earned an MBBS from Osmania Medical College in India and completed her pediatric residency at the Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in Brooklyn. Following residency, she joined the staff of Gratiot Medical Center in Alma, Michigan before serving as the pediatric hospitalist at Phoebe Putney Medical Center. In 2015, she joined the pediatric medical staff at Atrium Health Navicent. Dr. Pavuluri is an associate professor of pediatrics as Mercer University School of Medicine, assistant director of pediatric undergraduate medical education, and director of the Pediatric ACT program.
February 14: Rural Pediatric Case Study – Sleep Medicine: Bridging Gaps in Care for Sleep Challenges | Jennifer Tarbutton, MD, FAAP
Dr. Tarbutton is a 2001 Mercer University School of Medicine graduate and is the current Chair of the Mercer University School of Medicine Board of Governors and a member of the Mercer University Board of Trustees. She is a former member and president of the School of Medicine Alumni Association Board. A native of Perry, Ga., Dr. Tarbutton is a board-certified pediatrician practicing in Sandersville and affiliated with Washington County Regional Medical Center. After completing her Mercer medical student rotations in both Macon and Savannah, Dr. Tarbutton completed her Emory University pediatrics residency at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
March 13: Virtual Speech Therapy | Ashley Moates, M.S., CCC-SLP and Chris Moates, MBA
Siblings Ashley Moates and Chris Moates, natives of Americus, Georgia, were inspired by their youngest sister, Anna, to form TeamUp Therapy. Anna, who has Down syndrome, sparked their passion to transform children’s lives through individualized, convenient speech therapy. Ashley, TeamUp clinical director, obtained a bachelor’s degree in communication disorders and a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from Auburn University. Chris, TeamUp CEO, holds a political science degree from Yale and an MBA from Dartmouth. TeamUp provides pediatric speech therapy for children birth to 21 years of age, including children with autism, Down syndrome, and intellectual and developmental disabilities.
April 10: Rural Pediatric Case Study- The Presenting Signs and Symptoms of Pediatric Cancer | Brittany Lord, MD
Dr. Brittany Lord is board-certified pediatrician currently practicing in Eastman and McRae, Georgia. She is a Triple Bear, having completed her undergraduate degree at Mercer University in 2013, her medical degree at Mercer University School of Medicine in 2017, and her pediatric residency at Atrium Navicent Health in 2020. Dr. Lord is a Nathan Deal Scholar and has a passion for serving the rural areas of Georgia. She continues to work closely with Mercer’s Rural Health department to aid in the growth of rural providers graduating from the School of Medicine.
June 12: Diabetes and Endocrinology | Shruthi Arora, MD
Dr. Arora is an assistant professor of endocrinology at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric endocrinology and completed her fellowship training at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Her clinical interests include type 2 diabetes, lipids and obesity. She is part of the Strong for Life team and actively involved in the management of pediatric obesity. She provides care at the type 2 diabetes multidisciplinary clinic. Dr. Arora’s research interests are focused on improving outcomes in pediatric patients with type 2 diabetes.
July 17: Developing a Pediatric Medical Ecosystem | Don Nakayama, MD
Dr. Nakayama is a professor of surgery and the senior associate dean at Mercer University School of Medicine’s Columbus Campus, where he is a pediatric surgeon in active clinical practice. He serves as editor-in-chief of The American Surgeon. Dr. Nakayama has held leadership positions at the West Virginia University, Mercer University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, including residency program director in general surgery for 31 chief residents. He has received teaching awards at a number of institutions. He serves as treasurer of the American College of Surgeons.
August 14: Management of Newborn Syphilis and HIV | Maddie Goldstein, DO
Dr. Goldstein is an assistant professor at Emory University in Pediatric Infectious Diseases. She earned her MPH from University of Miami and graduated medical school from Nova Southeastern University. She completed her pediatric residency training and chief residency at Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She then completed her fellowship training in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Emory. Her research aims to mitigate the effects of intersecting stigmas and improve HIV-related outcomes through innovative intervention design and implementation among children and adolescents living with HIV. Her clinical work primarily focuses on caring for children and adolescents living with HIV, as well as the treatment of other sexually transmitted infections.
September 11: Autism
October 9: Primary Care Clinic Application of Quality Improvement Methods
November 13: Rural Pediatric Case Study
Pediatric Alliance Speakers Series (PASS) 2024
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Rural Pediatric Continuing Education Conference: Fostering Innovation in Rural Pediatric Care
May 17, 2024 | 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center will host a free in-person, full-day continuing education conference in the Presidents Dining Room on Mercer University’s Macon campus on May 17.
Topics:
- Telehealth Specialty Care in Rural Georgia
- Addressing Disparities in Hearing Health Care
- Pediatric Endocrinology—Innovations in Managing Obesity
- Sleep Medicine: Bridging Gaps in Care for Sleep Challenges
- Pediatric Provider Panel Discussion: Innovative Ways to Address Patient Challenges
CME and CNE Credits:
- 5 CME Credits: AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM provided through the joint providership of the Medical Educational Council of Pensacola (MECOP) and the Mercer University School of Medicine
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of the Medical Educational Council of Pensacola (MECOP) and Mercer University School of Medicine. MECOP is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The Medical Educational Council of Pensacola designates this live activity for a maximum of 5 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 6 CNE Contact Hours: CNE credits provided by the Three Rivers Area Health Education Center
Three Rivers AHEC is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Alabama Board of Nursing (Provider #: ABNP1496), for a maximum of 6 contact hours. Nursing participants should only claim the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Three Rivers AHEC has collected disclosures from the speakers and planners involved in this activity. None of the planners or speakers for this activity have relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.